WORCESTER — On a recent chilly day, Carolyn Oriente and first-grader Jerry Shea huddled next to each other at a small table in the back of a classroom at the Midland Street School.

Shea was on the verge of accomplishing one of the many literary milestones that he will achieve during his early academic career: he was minutes away from completing his 11th reading list and moving on to chapter books. Soon, he will be working on his first book report about a biography of famed Boston Bruins hockey player Bobby Orr.

"I'm thrilled for him," Oriente said as she tucked away the list into the filing bin on the table top. "I'm so very excited for him, and he is, too."

Oriente has volunteered in Constance Ouellette's classroom for the past four years. Retired after working in a gift shop for more than two decades, Oriente didn't want to sit idle in her house, she wanted to be useful. Her daughter-in-law, who works as a school secretary, and her daughter, a teacher, suggested she volunteer at one of the city schools. Now she's at the Midland Street School several mornings each week before traveling to the Lincoln Street School for the afternoon.

"The schools really need all the help that they can get. So as long as I feel needed, and I’m able to, I’ll volunteer. Really, I would rather be here than be useless," Oriente said recently.

Ouellette said Oriente's time in the classroom is priceless.

"She takes time to work with the students on their reading and their fluency and vocabulary words. If teacher had to do that for all 19 students each day it would take up the bulk of her day and away from her instruction time," Ouellette, who has taught for 36 years, said.

Across the hall, second grade teacher Melissa Gingras has had a similar experience with another volunteer: Mary Makowski.

"She is truly a gift from the heart," Gingras said of Makowski. "I can't tell you how much she means to me and my class."

Hundreds of other people like Oriente and Makowski have come to volunteer in the community after retirement, but many were not sure how to get involved. This is where the RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers has come in handy.

The RSVP mission is simple: to provide quality volunteer opportunities for older adults. Since 1971, the non-profit organization, which is a part of the Senior Corps program, has helped connect nearly 400 people who are at least 55 years old with more than 40 different types of volunteer opportunities called stations. The Worcester chapter, sponsored locally by Family Services of Central Massachusetts and nationally by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is located at the Senior Center on Providence Street.

RSVP volunteers offer a vital service to the Worcester region, by helping in areas where there are gaps in resources and the greatest need, according to Cathy Nalewajk, the volunteer and marketing coordinator for the organization.

According to the website, RSVP volunteers contribute tens of thousands of hours of service each year to the Worcester region, which saves the community more than $1.6 million annually.

RSVP volunteer and retired teacher Jerelyn Bellows works with a group of second graders at the Midland Street School. Bellows has designed special games to help students with pronunciation and reading. Megan Bard I MassLive.com

Yet, like many volunteer organizations, RSVP struggles with recruiting enough volunteers to meet the needs of the community. Word of mouth is how many volunteers find out about RSVP, but even then some don't think that they're fit for the job.

"Some need more confidence and are worried about what they'd do," RSVP volunteer Dot Sweeney said recently. "But there are so many options."

Although many volunteers assist in classrooms, if working with children is not on the list of desired volunteer opportunities, RSVP has an array of other places in need of volunteers.

Some of the stations, or volunteer opportunities, to choose from include visiting with residents of a nursing home to maintaining websites or working in an office.

At present, there are eight active readers from RSVP who take part in regular shows on the local Audio Journal, Inc., a radio service for the blind. Mannie Zax, a volunteer with Audio Journal for several years, said reading stories about the region's history provides a service for the listeners and helps him to fulfill his goal of providing a service to the community.

"What we do is important," Zax said recently.

A retired engineer, Howard Drake brought his skill and love of Legos into the schools. Drake wanted to do more than read with the children, so he introduced them to the world of engineering by building with them and showing them how he brings his creations to life.

Although many of the volunteers spend a few hours a week at their stations, Nalewajk stressed that whatever amount of time volunteers have to give is welcome. For example, through the organization's SWAT program, volunteers can participate in a one-time or short-term event, such as a local blood drive, writing letters to soldiers or programs at the senior center. Another need is for bilingual volunteers.

"I think people surprise themselves with how much they get out of it," RSVP volunteer Pat Bocian said recently. "I think that's what happened with all of us. Now we look forward to it."

For more information on the RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers, logon to its website at rsvpworcester.org or call (508) 791-7787.